Structured optical surface

Abstract

An optical structure includes an array of mirrors disposed on a substrate. The mirrors are disposed over a surface of the substrate and oriented at a plurality of different oblique angles relative to the surface of the substrate. The substrate comprises a clear substrate to pass external light through interstitial gaps between the mirror structures such that the optical structure is partially transparent and partially reflective. The optical structure may optionally be illuminated with an image source that emits substantially a single light ray per pixel of the image source to provide an optical system.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An optical structure, comprising:
 a substrate having a surface; and 
 an array of mirror structures disposed on the substrate, wherein reflective surfaces of the mirror structures are oriented at a plurality of different oblique angles relative to the surface of the substrate, 
 wherein the substrate comprises a clear substrate to pass external light through interstitial gaps between the mirror structures such that the optical structure is partially transparent and partially reflective, 
 wherein at least a portion of the mirror structures have their reflective surfaces obliquely angled relative to the surface of the substrate in two axes of rotation, 
 wherein the different oblique angles of the mirror structures have fixed positions that are configured to reflect rays of light emanating with a plurality of divergent angles from a single source point positioned in front of the optical structure to a single destination point also positioned in front of the optical structure. 
 
     
     
       2. The optical structure of  claim 1 , wherein the surface of the substrate comprises a flat planar surface and wherein each of the mirror structures comprises an individual raised structure that rises from the surface of the substrate and angles a corresponding one of the reflective surfaces relative to the surface of the substrate. 
     
     
       3. The optical structure of  claim 1 , wherein the surface of the substrate comprises a flat planar surface and wherein each of the mirror structures comprises an individual recessed structure that recesses into the surface of the substrate and angles a corresponding one of the reflective surfaces relative to the surface of the substrate. 
     
     
       4. The optical structure of  claim 1 , wherein the array of mirror structures are disposed on the substrate over the surface in a grid pattern. 
     
     
       5. The optical structure of  claim 4 , wherein the reflective surfaces of the mirror structures comprise flat non-transmissive reflective surfaces. 
     
     
       6. The optical structure of  claim 5 , wherein the reflective surfaces comprise metal. 
     
     
       7. The optical structure of  claim 4 , wherein the reflective surfaces comprise multiple dielectric reflective layers. 
     
     
       8. An optical structure, comprising:
 a substrate having a surface; and 
 an array of mirror structures disposed on the substrate, wherein reflective surfaces of the mirror structures are oriented at a plurality of different oblique angles relative to the surface of the substrate, 
 wherein the substrate comprises a clear substrate to pass external light through interstitial gaps between the mirror structures such that the optical structure is partially transparent and partially reflective, 
 wherein at least a portion of the mirror structures have their reflective surfaces obliquely angled relative to the surface of the substrate in two axes of rotation, 
 wherein the different oblique angles of the mirror structures are fixed angles configured to reflect rays of light emanating with a plurality of divergent angles from a single source point positioned in front of the optical structure to a plurality of destination points, wherein the plurality of destination points is fewer than a number of the diverging rays of light. 
 
     
     
       9. The optical structure of  claim 8 , wherein the mirror structures are organized into a first contiguous region of mirror structures and a second contiguous region of mirror structures adjacent to the first contiguous region, wherein the mirror structures of the first contiguous region are angled to reflect the rays of light incident on the first contiguous region to a first destination point and the mirror structures of the second contiguous region are angled to reflect the rays of light incident on the second contiguous region to a second destination point different than the first destination point. 
     
     
       10. The optical structure of  claim 8 , wherein the mirror structures are organized into interleaved first and second regions of one or more mirror structures, wherein the mirror structures of the first regions are angled to reflect the rays of light incident on the first regions to a first destination point and the mirror structures of the second regions are angled to reflect the rays of light incident on the second regions to a second destination point different than the first destination point. 
     
     
       11. An optical structure, comprising:
 a substrate having a surface; and 
 an array of mirror structures disposed on the substrate, wherein reflective surfaces of the mirror structures are oriented at a plurality of different oblique angles relative to the surface of the substrate, 
 wherein the substrate comprises a clear substrate to pass external light through interstitial gaps between the mirror structures such that the optical structure is partially transparent and partially reflective, 
 wherein at least a portion of the mirror structures have their reflective surfaces obliquely angled relative to the surface of the substrate in two axes of rotation, 
 wherein the different oblique angles of the mirror structures are fixed angles and configured with a non-linear distribution across the array to reflect light back to a destination point with a first density of independent rays falling within a conical angle extending out from the destination point that is higher than a second density of the independent rays falling outside the conical angle. 
 
     
     
       12. An optical system, comprising:
 a structured optical surface including:
 a substrate having a surface; and 
 an array of mirror structures disposed on the substrate, wherein reflective surfaces of the mirror structures are oriented at a plurality of different oblique angles relative to the surface of the substrate, wherein at least a portion of the mirror structures have their reflective surfaces obliquely angled relative to the surface of the substrate in two axes of rotation; and 
 
 an image source positioned to project an image onto the structured optical surface for reflection off of the structured optical surface, 
 wherein the different oblique angles of the mirror structures have fixed angles and are configured to reflect an image projected from a first position in front of the structured optical surface such that light rays of the reflected image have increased convergence or divergence angles relative to each other when perceived from a second position in front of the structured optical surface thereby providing a wider angle of view at the second position. 
 
     
     
       13. The optical system of  claim 12 , wherein the image source comprises a pixel array, wherein each pixel of the pixel array emits light substantially having only a single ray trajectory. 
     
     
       14. The optical system of  claim 13 , wherein the optical system comprises a near-to-eye display and wherein the image is virtually projected onto the structured optical surface at infinity. 
     
     
       15. The optical system of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a frame assembly to which the structured optical surface and image source are mounted, wherein the frame assembly is for wearing on a head of a user. 
 
     
     
       16. The optical system of  claim 13 , wherein there is a one-to-one correspondence between the pixels of the pixel array and the mirror structures of the array of mirror structures. 
     
     
       17. The optical system of  claim 12 , wherein the substrate comprises a clear substrate to pass external light through interstitial gaps between the mirror structures such that the structured optical surface is partially transparent and partially reflective, wherein the image comprises an computer generated image for augmenting a real world view delivered by the external light. 
     
     
       18. The optical system of  claim 12 , wherein the reflective surfaces of the mirror structures comprise flat non-transmissive reflective surfaces.